Abstract [en]

Obesity is one of the most rapid growing illnesses and dental caries is still a common illness by children and youth. The aims of this licentiate thesis were:

describe frequency of overweight and obesity from birth to twenty years of age.

analyze weight and weight development from birth to adult age.

examine prevalence of approximal dental caries by teenagers fifteen years of age comparing to their age-specific BMI (isoBMI).

examine early snacking habits and dental caries at the age of fifteen.

The investigations have a population based longitudinal design and the analyses are based on data from 671 children followed from birth to 20 years of age. Information about weight and height were collected from health records at child health centers and school health care. At 20 years of age, weight and height measurements were performed by one of the authors. Data were also selected from caries examinations, interviews and questionnaires when the children were 1 and 3 years of age and from the children’s bitewing radiographs at 15 years of age. The result showed an association between overweight/obesity at 20 years and overweight/obesity at 5½ and 15 years. However, 70% of those who were overweight/obese at 20 years were of normal weight at 5½ years and 47% at 15 years. The majority of those who were overweight/obese at 20 years of age were recruited after 5.5 years of age and half of them in their late teens.

Another finding was that overweight and obese adolescents had more approximal caries than normal-weight adolescents. Furthermore, consumption of snacking products and soft drinks at an early age appears to be associated with caries at 15 years of age. There was no connection found between birth weight and later overweight/obesity at 20 years of age. The study could not demonstrate any distinct patterns of the weight development from early childhood to young adult. A child could, for example, have overweight/obesity at one measurement, have normal weight at the next and then again have overweight/obesity at the third measurement. Because dental caries and overweight/obesity have common determinants further prevention measures should include strategies to prevent and reduce both overweight/obesity and dental caries in the young population.

During the preschool period, the entire population should be the target of primary prevention from overweight/obesity, while, in the case of teenagers, prevention strategies should be developed for the whole population and treatment strategies for teenagers with established overweight/obesity.

Abstract [en]

AIM: To describe the frequency of overweight and obesity from birth to 20 years of age and analyse weight at 20 years of age in relation to weight and weight development during early childhood and adolescence.

METHODS: A longitudinal, population-based study, which followed 496 children from birth to 20 years of age. Information about weight and height was collected from health records at child health centres and school health care. At 20 years of age, weight and height measurements were taken by one of the authors.

RESULTS: At 20 years of age, 124 (25%) of the youth were obese or overweight. Of these youths, 60% had normal weight at 5.5 years. Of the teenagers who were overweight/obese at 15 years, 79% remained overweight/obese at 20 years of age. Out of the 124 overweight/obese at 20, 47% had normal weight at 15 years. [Corrections added after online publication on April 18, 2012: 'Out of the 124 obese at 20' has been changed to 'Out of the 124 overweight/obese at 20']. No relation was found between rapid weight gain during preschool age and overweight and obesity in 20-year-olds.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of those who were overweight/obese at 20 years of age were recruited after 5.5 years of age, and half of them in their late teens. Thus, during the preschool period, the entire population should be the target of primary prevention from overweight/obesity and, in the case of teenagers, prevention strategies should be developed for the whole population as well as treatment strategies for teenagers with established overweight/obesity.

Birkhed, Dowen

Abstract [en]

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is steadily increasing in many countries. Dental caries and obesity are both multifactorial diseases and are associated with dietary habits.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between body weight status in adolescents and snacking habits in early childhood to approximal caries prevalence at 15 years of age.

METHODS: This study is part of a series of surveys of oral health in children followed from the ages of 1 year to 15 years. Body adiposity status was estimated at 13.5-16.4 years using the International Obesity Task Force cut-off values [age-specific body mass index (isoBMI)]. Information about snacking habits in early childhood was collected from interviews conducted at 1 year and 3 years. Approximal caries information was obtained from bitewing radiographs at 15 years. Data related to isoBMI and approximal caries were available in 402 teenagers.

RESULT: Adolescents with isoBMI > or = 25 (n = 64) had an approximal caries prevalence that was a mean of 1.6 times higher than those with isoBMI < 25 (n = 338) (4.64 vs. 2.94; P = 0.014). Furthermore, children's snacking habits at an early age were associated with approximal caries at 15 years.

CONCLUSION: Overweight and obese adolescents had more approximal caries than normal-weight individuals. Moreover, the frequent consumption of snacking products during early childhood appears to be a risk indicator for caries at 15 years. Future preventive programmes should therefore include, on a multidisciplinary level, strategies to prevent and reduce both obesity and dental caries at an early age.